African Polecat Safaris

7 day safari tour with chaotic organization and downgrades

We did a seven day safari tour organized by African Polecat including Tarangire NP, 3 days Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Biking to Lake Manyara and a cultural tour and finally a walking tour at Arusha NP.

First of all, doing such a safari tour is an amazing experience and we can really recommend it - just not by this operator.
We specifically chose this tour because accomodation-wise it offered a nice combination of 3 nights of sleeping in tents in the nature (with animal encounters right in front of the tents!) and then really nice locations at the start and end, namely 2* the jungle pearl resort and 1* karibu heritage.
Starting the first day, we were told, that there would be a change in plan, with Arusha NP at the first day, rather than the last day- which was fine to us at the moment, but then after a very nice safari day we were dropped off at a cheap Hotel in Arusha that was not even on the travel list, costs less than half as much and is badly rated on google maps and booking (3/10!!). A place we never would have chosen or booked ourself. The next day we were mixed with another group and picked up by another driver and guide. We thought we would continue with the initial guide - which was no problem per se - but sad because this way we didnt had the chance to tip the initial tour guide which did a spectacular job explaining all the animal encounters. With the new - suddenly scrambled together - group, the journey continued but we ended up at different accomodations than booked.
After Tarangire we were driven to kizumba camp site instead of jungle pearl (also not as nicely rated, rather basic in comparison). We texted James (the organizer) why this was the case and he said he forgot to remind the driver.
On day 6, we had only a short day at Ngorongoro crater, because the rest of the group and the driver would go on to Arusha for the afternoon, which was not on our plan anymore. So we were dropped off along the way at jungle resort (even then the driver didnt get the right instructions for us; we basically had to make sure to arrive at the right place; even the location didn’t know of our supposed arrival). Any way we lost half a tour day because apparently we were mixed with another group which had a different tour plan.
The last day at manyara lake we were a little bit worried to not reach the planned arrival at the airport in the evening with all the organizational problems. When texting James he ensured us that a driver will pick us up and everything is arranged. When sitting in the final taxi, we thought that now nothing could surprise us anymore, when suddenly the taxi would drive to a place in Arusha and drop us off there, instead of at the airport. After waiting there for 20 minutes a second taxi drove us to the airport. Again without previous communication.
It is indeed a very weird feeling, when you are in a foreign country and half the time you enter a vehicle, you get dropped-off at a random place that was not communicated or agreed on.
Minor inconveniences: no binoculars as advertised, no beverages or alcoholic drinks as advertised, no 3l water a day as advertised, no hot shower water as advertised, no toilet paper (we thought to really expect those things would be a stretch, given the nature of the safari, but still…).
Erika the cook and Amos the guide were lovely and I don‘t feel like they are at fault for any of these problems. It very much felt like a lack of communication and providing organization and information.

A safari tour is very much recommended and a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but I cannot recommend Polecat as operator.